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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27386071">This is Halloween (ours and a little different)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeiserFranz/pseuds/KeiserFranz'>KeiserFranz</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Beatles (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, M/M, Martha minds her own business, Paul is a little bit of a diva, Tooth-Rotting Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 19:14:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,166</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27386071</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeiserFranz/pseuds/KeiserFranz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Paul can't attend a fancy Halloween party after he injured his knee. John doesn't mind at all.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>John Lennon/Paul McCartney</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>This is Halloween (ours and a little different)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>let's pretend it's the 31st of October, so I don't feel like a madman, shall we?</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Excuse moi, mademoiselle." John tries to woo Martha with an atrociously exaggerated French accent as he rushes past her to shove a chocolate cake into the oven. His first chocolate cake ever, it's worth remarking, and he hopes he did everything as George instructed. </p>
<p>"John, stop molesting the dog. She refused to listen to me English the last time you pulled Spanish on the poor girl. Right? RIGHT Martha???" </p>
<p>It takes a while for Paul to appear, hopping on one leg doesn't serve as the most efficient kind transport. </p>
<p>"Molesting? Me? I have you know I just tried to teach yer furry friend the basics, so she could listen to the wonderful Michelle herself."</p>
<p>He knows he would be likely tackled to the ground if it wasn't for Paul's limited range of motion. He can survive the defiant look sent his way just fine. John is very much aware of what Paul's goal is -- abandoning his crutches in the living room and stubbornly treading all the way to the kitchen -- someone's trying to defeat the natural rhythm of recovery.</p>
<p>John can't blame him, not really, he knows how much his boyfriend has been looking forward to the pompous Halloween party one of Brian's friends was hosting. And though he, himself, doesn't mind rolling around in the bed all day long, he relates to the overwhelming recklessness. </p>
<p>Besides, as a person whom it took 27 years to quit pretending he could see very well, thank you, he doesn't dare to scold Paul. </p>
<p>Instead, he settles for carefully eyeing his boyfriend's movements, prepared to support him if the damned knee would betray him, while simultaneously busying himself with checking the state of the desert.</p>
<p>Paul takes another 3 steps, each more wobbly than the previous, before sitting in the chair, sighing loudly. </p>
<p>"I don't get this," he waves a hand in the air. "I'm doing everything as told, why it takes me so long to get in the fucking kitchen?"</p>
<p>John checks the watch, 10 minutes left, before hugging Paul, placing a sweet kiss on the top of his head.</p>
<p>"It's just a week, luv, the body is still getting used to it, and just to inform you, I think you are doing awesome."</p>
<p>Paul nods quietly. </p>
<p>"We could be at the party now, you know.." He trails off, face shying away from John, but it doesn't take an expert to figure out he is ashamed. Of breaking a tiny bone in his knee. Of being in pain. Of feeling miserable. </p>
<p>Words of affection don't come to John as easily as those of anger, that's why he settles for ruffling Paul's hair before dashing back to the oven.</p>
<p>"I know and I don't care." </p>
<p>He doesn't expect a reply, recalling the huge fight Paul put up when Ringo, George, Mal and even Brian stopped by to carve pumpkins together. </p>
<p>"I don't want them to come over, John. I can't even walk properly, they are going to hate me, I already postponed the recording."</p>
<p>Sufficient to say, none of them came to close to even considering hating Paul. And the injured man's grumpiness slowly crumbled down as they joked.</p>
<p>John takes the cake out, not suppressing the joyful grin. It doesn't look like a turd! He shows it to Paul, earning himself a tiny smile before expertly placing it onto the cooling rack.</p>
<p>"Done with the stretching?" He hums, praying he doesn't sound like Jim.</p>
<p>Paul shrugs, red dots appearing on his cheeks, as he mumbles. John's slipped into his stern partner role effortlessly, years under the roof with Mimi serving as a template.</p>
<p>"What was that, Paul?"</p>
<p>Paul avoids his gaze as he fidgets with his fingers. </p>
<p>"I said I did it."</p>
<p>"20 times each?" John enquiries. He put the exact count of each exercise to his phone's notes, along with the pictures. </p>
<p>Nothing.</p>
<p>"Paul?"</p>
<p>"Just 10, it hurts."</p>
<p>John bites back the lecture about how come walking without one's crutches doesn't hurt, and sits on the other chair.</p>
<p>"I know, I know, we make it 15 for today, yeah? 5 times each and then you are good to go, time for movies and a cake."</p>
<p>He helps Paul to get up, watches as he fumbles to the right position and conducts the stretches. Brows furrowing in concentration and pain. </p>
<p>As soon as the routine is finished, John scops him to his arms, bridelike, enjoying the shriek of surprise, before he deposits Paul on the sofa.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>3 hours later and 2 rubbish, vintage horrors later they are both cuddled up in front of the telly, Martha intently chewing on her dental bone in the corner. </p>
<p>Paul's head is in John's lap, his body stretched over the entire length of the sofa, the most comfortable position for him at the moment. He created a little nest, stealing all the blankets for himself, but John doesn't protest.</p>
<p>He massages Paul's scalp, occasionally tugging lightly at the dark strands until Paul is purring like a cat. To John's delight, the cake tastes delicious as it looks -- Paul has already had 4 pieces. </p>
<p>They wait for the ending credits to pass, then they look at each other.</p>
<p>"Tim Burton now?" Paul suggests, reading John's mind.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><br/>It's 2 am when John wakes up to the buzzing of the television, not remembering the plot or the name of the last movie, but it doesn't matter anyway.</p>
<p>Paul is snoring with his mouth open, face relaxed and smeared with chocolate stains. John gains consciousness, pondering how to wake the dead weight sprawled across his lap. Paul would murder him if he found out he didn't wake him up to brush his teeth.</p>
<p>He taps his nose gently, observing the different stages of Paul's metamorphosis -- from corpse to alert bunny real quick -- kissing his cheek as an apology.</p>
<p>Of course, Paul insists on getting to the first floor on his own ("You've already carried me around, Johnny, let me!"), this time willing to rely on the crutches, at least. By the time he arrives at the bathroom, strings of stifled curses mixed with Martha's barking announcing his arrival, John is freshly showered and waiting for his lover.</p>
<p>They are both snuggled tight, bodies pressed together under the covers, eyelids heavy with sleep when Paul interrupts the silence.</p>
<p>"'T was very nice, we should do it often."</p>
<p>It takes a while for John to answer, voice groggy. </p>
<p>"What? Not doing dishes the same day we use them? Doubt you would allow that, darling."</p>
<p>Paul elbows him hard enough to let him know he has had enough, but gently enough to wordlessly tell him he would never get enough. "Staying together just, like, the two of us."</p>
<p>John feels warm and very, very awake, he wants to tell Paul how much he loves him, that they will go to every flashy party, once he is safely healed, but his tongue is heavy, so he just tightens his arms around the other man's body. He will tell him tomorrow.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>written in a collaboration with my terrific planning skills, can you tell</p></blockquote></div></div>
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